Originally Posted by
ORAC
https://breakingdefense.com/2019/12/...-eucom-deputy/
Pull US Troops Out if Turkey: Former EUCOM Deputy
.....When asked about growing concerns about the safety of these nuclear weapons in light of deteriorating U.S.-Turkey ties, former Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James noted that – hypothetically – if such weapons did require relocation, removing them from Incirlik would be a “complicated operation [that] would require negotiations with the [new host] nation.” Nevertheless, the United States should prioritize moving these weapons to a more stable and secure European facility, such as Aviano Air Base, Italy. There is simply no longer a strategic necessity for maintaining a nuclear arsenal in Turkey as the United States has other nuclear forces available for deterring Russia.
Second, Washington should relocate the 39th Air Wing and its various support functions; Cyprus and Greece are excellent alternatives. For the former, its Akrotiri Air Base is already home to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and it has runways and facilities akin to Incirlik; moreover, it is still near the Middle Eastern theatre but has the added advantage of being located on European soil. Choosing Cyprus would send Turkey a clear message that the United States is a no longer prepared to tolerate Turkey’s illegal oil exploration and naval harassment within the Cypriot exclusive economic zone.......
Of course, it's not just a simple matter of moving the devices from one location to another. In Greece I'd anticipate huge civil unrest if the US proposed to move then there - with a pro
-Soviet Russian government to boot. Secondly, going to the SBA in Cyprus would require NSC and then Parliamentary approval, quite apart from the infrastructure efforts that would be needed to house the weapons in a SSA and accommodate the aircraft that could carry them.
Moreover it would cause both sides on the island of Cyprus to become (more) enraged and jointly target the British presence. This is in addition to pissing off the Turks, with whom we still have a good working relationship at diplomatic and military levels. Added to that, there would be huge agitation from the very pro Russian government in the Republic of Cyprus.
Furthermore there is no question of Russian troops or aircraft based in Turkey; during the coup attempt in July 2016 it was the Turkish Base Cdr (BGen Van) who rebelled against the government and was dragged from the US Base Cdr's office by MİT officers. The US Colonel had served on 1 Sqn on exchange about 15 years ago - 'Red' for those who might remember him. The US and Turkish perimeter around the SSA remained secure.
Of course the US and Turkey have clashed over nukes before. One of the secret protocols agreed after the Cuban missile crises was to withdraw the jointly US/Turkish manned Jupiter Missile batteries. The US withdrew the nuclear tipped missiles without telling the HN, who were justifiably cross, and it soured relations for a good decade.